1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to luggage and in particular to a garment bag with two halves that fold together.
2. Prior Art and Objects
Garments bag have been well known and garment bags with varying styles and features exist. Garment bags generally involve an elongated generally rectangular bag having two halves which fold together to form a suitcase. Garment bags are particularly used for longer clothes such as long dresses and suits. Traditionally, such clothing is hung at one end of the garment bag. As the garment bag is folded, so do the clothes therein fold. It is usual for the garment bag to be folded so that the two front halves of the garment bag oppose one another to form a suitcase.
Various means are used to hold the two halves together so that the two halves are not being pulled apart when being carried. A handle is usually at the middle of the back to hold the garment bag with both ends directed downward.
The difficulty with such garment bags, as many travelers have experienced, is that many garments have enlarged tops which may be caused by shoulder pads or short tops with long dresses or pants, so that only a few garments can be hung on the one hanger retainer in the garment bag. However, despite the lack of space to hang clothes, a major portion of the opposite halve of the garment bag from the hanger retainer remains unused. People do use this section of the bag for small items which are not placed on a hanger. Thus, the unused space at the end of the garment bag, remote from the hanger retainer, is not fully utilized for its best purpose since small items can readily be placed in a standard suitcase. By utilizing the space in the garment bag for such smaller items rather than the long clothes, results, in all likelihood, in another garment bag being required. Therefore, the need for a garment bag and, in particular, a garment bag to carry long clothing such as suits and long dresses and coats remains a priority.
Frequently travellers, who intend to stay only a short time in a temporary residence, hang up the bag, usually in a closet, leaving their clothes in it. However, the small items must be removed since, with the bag open, the small items will be difficult to locate and most likely will fall out of the garment bag.
To overcome this situation, in accordance with this invention, a hanger retainer is located at both ends of the garment bag. The garment bag has two halves with a flexible midsection between them so that the two halves can each be folded around 180 degrees from the closed position with the front halves opposing one another to a totally opposite position in which the halves of the back oppose one another. Hooks are provided outside the garment bag at both ends of the garment bag permitting both ends to be hung from a suitable horizontal bar as should be found in a closet. With the garment bag hung from both ends with the back opposing itself, the midsection is open which permits the clothing on each hanger retainer to hang down and be readily available for removal. The use of only flaps on each half of the front of the bag assists in the ease of removal of clothing from both halves of the garment bag when so hung from both ends.
In order to obtain this result, a garment bag is provided which permits clothing to be hung at both ends of the garment bag permitting the garment bag to carry an increased number of long garments, such as suits and dresses, and also make such garments more accessible from the garment bag without unpacking.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a garment bag that has increased capacity without enlarging the size of the bag.
It is another object of the invention to provide a garment bag that permits clothes to be hung at both ends.
It is another object of the invention to provide a garment bag that can be hung up when opened in a closet with the clothes available from both ends of the garment bag without having to remove the clothing from the garment bag and hang it individually in a closet.
It is another object of the invention to provide the garment bag which is secure when closed and does not open when being handled during travel.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment bag that is both durable and economical.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skilled in the art the description thereof proceeds.